Friday, December 9, 2011

... in books


TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by GReads!

The question of the week is:
Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

I think movie adaptations of books are a risky topic. Readers tend to love the book version more and non-readers watch the films with something other in mind than the comparison between book and film.
When I am watching movie adaptations I usually read the book beforehand because I am one of those who thinks books are better than films. There are also books I love so much that I am not sure about seeing the film at all.

Everybody talks about the Harry Potter films and that these films miss so many parts of the books. That’s true but you should always remember that a film is between 60 and 120 minutes long and there will never be the whole story told. A film will stick with the most important bits of the book and with those most important for the plot and for understanding. I also think that the Harry Potter books are wonderful and that there are some bits and pieces missing in the films but these films are really good. You don’t have to read the book to understand the movies.

I also liked the adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley as Lizzy Bennet. It is a wonderful and romantic film and the story is well told. Most of us know the BBC adaptation with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy but for a movie the shorter film version is perfectly shortened and well told.

Same applies to Bridget Jones. Wonderful book, wonderful movie!

A film that I found really irritating after reading the book was About a boy with Hugh Grant. It was a good film no doubt about that but the ending is completely different in the book. Why do I have to change the storyline when doing a film? Don’t directors read books? I mean, come on! Changing basically one half of the film – I don’t get that. I like the film but it does in no way resemble the book.

I am not sure if I answered this question in a satisfying way but I usually go to the cinema but be entertained and not for mocking a book adaptation. I know that you cannot compare a book to a movie so I normally don’t try. 

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4 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you - I don't expect a movie to follow the book exactly - and sometimes I think what's the fun in that if you've already read the book. While I don't want the movie to lose the essence of the book - I don't mind it taking a few ... liberties.

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  2. I really like the Harry Potter film adaptations. Though by no means perfect, they carried along the main plot for each book quite well :)

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  3. Now you've got me. I have to read "About a Boy". I really loved the film and now I'm totally surprised by your statement. Yes I know - shame on me. But I will definitely read it in the next weeks.

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  4. Die Briten sind ziemlich gut im Buch zu Film. Am grauenvollsten fand ich die Verfilmungen von Eragon und Percy Jackson. So geniale Bücher sooo schrottige Filme.

    Übrigens nur kurz zur Klarstellung (weil angenommen nach Studienplatz klingt), ich will nicht an der TU Wien studieren (studiert habe ich schon genug;-) sondern dort arbeiten.

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